CCAC's Board of Trustees

Kevin Kinross

Chair, CCAC Board of Trustees

Term Expires: 12.31.2027

In November 2010 Kevin started the Carey Group with the goal of developing a top notch government affairs and business development firm focusing on both the public and private sectors. Named after his mother s maiden name, the Carey Group has developed a reputation for delivering quality service and providing tangible results.

Prior to starting the Carey Group, Kevin spent more than a decade coordinating both statewide and regional campaigns for Democratic leaders seeking a variety of elected offices. His campaign roles included being campaign manager for Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter s 2011 re-election effort, campaign manager for Dan Onorato s 2010 gubernatorial campaign, significant roles for both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in 2008, and Ed Rendell in 2006.

Kevin has experience in government as well. That experience began with staff positions on Capitol Hill in both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. He also understands state and local government having served as a Special Assistant to Governor Rendell and as the first chief of staff to Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato.

Kevin's statewide experience provides the firm s clients insight into Pennsylvania politics and allows them to anticipate and understand changes in the state and local political and legislative arenas.

Kevin earned his Bachelors of Arts from John Carroll University and his Juris Doctor from the Duquesne University School of Law. He currently serves on the Community College of Allegheny County Board of Trustees and as Governor Tom Wolf's designee to the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority. He and his wife live in Pittsburgh with their four children. 

Mary Ann Eisenreich

Vice Chair, CCAC Board of Trustees

Term Expires: 12.31.2027

Mary Ann Eisenreich was appointed director of the Southwest Governor's Office for the Corbett Administration in February 2011. Prior to accepting this position, Ms. Eisenreich was the executive director of Pennsylvania Women Work, a leading non-profit organization focused on women's employment issues. During her tenure the organization grew to be a both a state- and nationally-recognized organization that helped over 40,000 women to achieve economic self-sufficiency.

Prior to serving at PAWW, Ms. Eisenreich was the founder and director of the Community Education Department at Carlow University. She is a certified business coach and a DDI facilitator, and she serves on many boards, including the Southwest PA Commission Executive Committee, Riverlife, PA Local Government Committee, the Institute of Politics at the University of Pittsburgh and the Advisory Committee of Renewal.

Ms. Eisenreich holds a bachelor's degree in Education and Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and a master's degree in Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Wexford with her husband, David, and has three children and five grandchildren. 

Honorable Jay Costa Jr. JD 

Treasurer, CCAC Board of Trustees

Term Expires: 12.31.2023

The Honorable Jay Costa, JD is a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the 43rd district, which encompasses the townships of Penn Hills and Wilkins; the boroughs of Baldwin, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Homestead, Munhall, Swissvale, Verona, West Homestead, West Mifflin and Whitaker; and the City of Pittsburgh's 7th, 15th, 16th, 29th and 31st wards as well as portions of the 4th, 14th and 17th wards. He is a shareholder in Grogan Graffam, P.C. Costa formerly served as Register of Wills and Deputy Sheriff in Allegheny County and is a former adjunct professor with the Community College of Allegheny County.

Costa now serves as Pennsylvania State Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman. He is a member of the Community, Economic & Recreational Development, Public Health & Welfare and Policy committees and has garnered appointments to the Legislative Budget & Finance Committee, Pennsylvania Community Bank Operations Committee, Public Employee Retirement Commission, Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing and the Industrial Resource Center Strategic Advisory Board. He is a former member of the select Senate Committee that investigated the operation and management of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. Costa is a member of the boards of the University of Pittsburgh, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, Neighborhood Legal Services, the Pittsburgh Ballet and the 3 Rivers Wet Weather Demonstration Program. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University and a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 

Honorable John Palmiere

Assistant Treasurer, CCAC Board of Trustees

Term Expires: 04.23.2027

John Palmiere was appointed to represent District 6 of Allegheny County Council on January 21, 2011, to finish the unexpired term of Ms. Joan Cleary. John served for over 23 years as the Director of the Baldwin Whitehall School District, a position requiring him to remain aware of education issues and of the ever-changing world of local and state concerns. As the District Director, John guided 84 percent of graduates of Baldwin Whitehall High School to pursue post-secondary education. He oversaw the Board through difficult transitions and large projects, including the $64 million renovation of the high school. John served as the Director of the Allegheny County Intermediate Unit, which enhanced his understanding of our region's education system and allowed him to confront problems impacting the 42 school districts in Allegheny County. He is a member of Baldwin Whitehall High School's Dedication Committee and is a board member of the Friends of the Baldwin Whitehall Theater Arts.

As an entrepreneur, who began Palmiere's Hair Center 40 years ago, John's seasoned local business experience allows him to relate to business owners and the economy of Allegheny County. Through his professional career, he interacts with constituents every day, giving him a constant perspective of citizens' opinions. He was an Adjunct Instructor at the Pittsburgh Barber School and the Professional Barber and Beauty Supplies, Inc., and he currently holds a Pennsylvania Barbers License and Pennsylvania Shop Managers License. He has been a member of the UFCW, Local 23, Barber Division for over 40 years. 

Martha Woodward Isler

Secretary, CCAC Board of Trustees

Term Expires: 04.23.2027

Martha Woodward Isler began her career as a secondary special education teacher with her degree from Penn State. She found remediation difficult and realized that research was promoting early intervention. She then joined the War on Poverty and was trained to develop and direct one of the first Head Start systems in the country. Martha brought this knowledge to creating the Berks County Commissioners Early Education programs and then moved to Harrisburg as Director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Child Development Programs. After moving to Pittsburgh she headed the planning and implementation of the Allegheny County Early Childhood Initiative.

Currently, as a retired Early Childhood Education Public Policy professional, Martha is President, Allies for Children. Allies is an advocacy organization that serves as a bold voice for policy and practice changes that will improve the well-being of all children and youth in Allegheny County, especially those with the greatest need. 

Elizabeth Monroe

Assistant Secretary, CCAC Board of Trustees

Term Expires: 12.31.2024

Elizabeth Monroe (Betsy) has spent her career working for nonprofit organizations, helping them secure and maintain financial viability.

She developed her experience in nonprofit finance working at Highmark Inc. with projects and responsibilities focused on ensuring both high quality care for seniors and accurate revenue from the Federal government. In addition to her time at Highmark, Betsy has worked as a consultant on a variety of projects including business planning and strategy, budgeting, project management, grant writing, market research, and business process analysis. Betsy earned her Master's Degrees in Business Administration and in Healthcare Administration at the University of Pittsburgh.

A longtime advocate for parks and trails, Betsy serves on the Board of the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy. More recently, Betsy has become active in local government, serving as Council member for Fox Chapel Borough since 2019.

Betsy now works as the Director of Finance and Administration at Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, combining her background in finance with her love for the outdoors. 

Elayne Arrington PhD

Term Expires: 12.31.2028

Elayne Arrington, PhD is an assistant professor in the department of mathematics at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Arrington has also held the positions of lecturer and assistant professor of mathematics during the 33 years she has spent with the University. Prior to joining the University of Pittsburgh, she served as an instructor at the University of Cincinnati and as an aerospace engineer with the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

Currently a member of the boards of the Mon Valley Peoples' Action Committee and Glen Hazel Citizens' Association, Dr. Arrington is first vice president of the Harmony Club of Homestead. She has published several papers on finite solvable groups and is the recipient of multiple awards, including a Steel Valley Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen Award in 2007 and the Central Region Dean of the Year presented by the Sunday School Publishing Board of the NBC in 2006. She was profiled in Complexities: Women in Mathematics, published by Princeton University Press in 2005. Dr. Arrington was the first African American female and the third female to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, and the 17th African American female in the United States to earn a doctorate in mathematics. She holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in mathematics from the University of Cincinnati, a Master of Science in Mathematics from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, aeronautical option from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Elizabeth Fishback

Term Expires: 12.31.2024

Elizabeth (Liz) Fishback is the State and Local Affairs Lead at Argo AI, a self-driving technology platform company based in Pittsburgh. Prior to her current position, Liz served as the Regional Director for Southwestern Pennsylvania for U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). Prior to joining Casey's team in 2013, she worked for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and for the late U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) in his Pittsburgh Senate office.

Liz is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Pittsburgh Parking Authority.

Liz is a 2007 graduate of Smith College, where she majored in Government and Public Policy and medaled three times at the NCAA National Women's Rowing Championships.

Liz is a resident of the City of Pittsburgh and coaches rowing at her alma mater, Mt. Lebanon High School. 

Emily Skopov

Term Expires: 12.31.2024

After many years as a successful screenwriter, producer, and director in the film industry, Emily Skopov felt compelled to shift her time and talents towards addressing urgent social, economic, and environmental concerns. In 2011, she founded No Crayon Left Behind, a unique nonprofit which uses a sustainable business model to expand educational and creative opportunities for children experiencing poverty and other vulnerable populations, while simultaneously promoting environmentally sustainable programming. Additionally, Emily has taken a proactive approach to pursue policy changes through community activism and political advocacy. Recently a candidate for the state legislature, Emily is using her knowledge of state government and a significant political network to champion solutions to the growing inequities at the root of so many of society's most dire challenges. In addition to her seat on the CCAC Board of Trustees, Emily serves as a member of several other nonprofit boards and regional committees that seek to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.

Currently, Emily is an adjunct instructor at Carnegie Mellon University, while continuing to manage her nonprofit's operations. A New York native, Emily holds a BA from Columbia University, an MFA from UCLA's Graduate School of Film and Television, and is working towards her MPM at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College. 

James Sacco

Term Expires: 12.31.2028

James V. "Jimmie" Sacco's 11 years as General Manager of Three Rivers Stadium gained him the experience which laid the foundation for the challenges that face him today as the Vice President of Stadium Operations & Management for Heinz Field. Jimmie is responsible for all aspects of the stadium operations, including but not limited to stadium policies, procedures, security measures, training, and customer service. He is actively involved in creating and indoctrination of the future development of Heinz Field and the North Shore. Throughout the planning of Heinz Field, Jimmie was instrumental in providing his knowledge of the sports and entertainment industry to ensure that Heinz Field became a unique and world-class sports and entertainment facility.

With all his responsibilities, Jimmie still finds time to serve on several boards; Past President and current member of Stadium Manager's Association (SMA), member of the IAAM, CCAC trustee board member, founding member and treasurer of Gridiron Stadium Network (GSN), Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Chairman of the Board and member of the Executive Committee for Coaches vs. Cancer (American Cancer Society). He also serves as a member of the board for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, the Stanley M. Marks Blood Cancer Research Fund and the Pittsburgh chapters of The Ireland Funds America and The American Heart Association's Annual Heart Ball. Jimmie is a past member of Allegheny County Health Department Advisory Board and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Board (JDRF).

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Jimmie has always rooted for Pittsburgh teams. Biography forthcoming. 

Guillermo Velazquez

Term Expires: 12.31.2023

Guillermo Velazquez is the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation (PHDC). As Executive Director, Mr. Velazquez is responsible for the operations of PHDC and for implementing its mission in economic and community development. A Business Incubator, Housing, Employment, Investment, Training, and Career Development are activities of the Hispanic Corporation.

Mr. Velazquez began his career at Desarrollo Empresarial Mexicano (DESEM), an entrepreneurship program in Mexico City (also known as Junior Achievement Mexico), where he was a member for ten years. The program teaches entrepreneurs how to start, manage, and operate a new business. Mr. Velazquez has a wealth of experience assisting U.S.-based companies in expanding internationally and foreign companies seeking to develop their local and international markets. His specialty is market entry strategies and market penetration. Mr. Velazquez's involvement in the Latino community of Pittsburgh is since 1998. He has served as a board member of various organizations such as the Community Justice Project, PublicSource, LACU - Latin American Union Culture, COESA, the Brazilian Association of Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Velazquez also serves as a commissioner of the LGBTQA+ Commission of the City of Pittsburgh.

Mr. Velazquez has worked at Nissan Motor's Headquarters Office in Mexico City, the World Trade Center Pittsburgh, and Conco Services Corp as Manager for Latin America. Guillermo Velázquez has an MBA in Global Management and Business Administration from Point Park University, a Bachelor's Degree in Business Relations, Marketing, and International Business. Furthermore, he also holds a diploma in computer systems and an English diploma as a second language. He is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and English.

Daria Crawley, PhD 

Member of the Finance, Audit and Facilities Committee

Term Expires: 12.31.2027

A visionary leader in education and business, Dr. Daria C. Crawley has led an impressive career in the classroom, board room and within the halls of government. Currently, Dr. Crawley is an Professor and Management Department Head at Robert Morris University where in addition to her administrative duties she teaches courses in business management and continues her research examining altruism in women, mentoring and gender wage inequities. 

She received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and doctorate from the University of Michigan. She is a faculty mentor for the RMU Women 's Leadership and Mentoring Program, Co-Advisor School of Business Women in Business student club and Co-Chair of a Middle States Self-Study Accreditation Workgroup. From time to time Dr. Crawley can be heard on KDKA radio providing the talk back commentary with Larry Richert (KDKA Morning News Host) after the RMU Pittsburgh Speaker Series lectures. 

Prior to joining Robert Morris University, Dr. Crawley was a faculty member and the Assistant Dean and Director of the 11-month MBA Program at the University of Pittsburgh, worked in human resources at TransAmerica Corporation, a Fortune 500 private holding company for various life insurance and private investment firms and worked extensively in the area of international politics and public policy development. She served as a policy advisor for Bernie Grant, a Member of the British Parliament and founder of the Parliamentary Black Caucus. Dr. Crawley 's impressive research background was forged when she served as Director of Research at the Center for Organizational and Leadership Effectiveness. 

Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Crawley has been the recipient of the WQED Multimedia Duquesne Light African-American Leadership Award, the Onyx Women Business Women of the Year Award, and Women of Excellence Award from the New Pittsburgh Courier. Her commitment and dedication to preparing ethical professionals for the global marketplace was recognized when she received the Robert Morris University School of Business Service Award in 2014 and Teaching Award and Women Leadership and Mentoring Program Faculty Mentor of the Year award in 2016. In 2017, 

Dr. Crawley received the Robert Morris University President 's Distinguished Achievement Award in Service and Theodore Jones Impact Award from RMU 's Black Student Union. Dr. Crawley, is a member Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Jack and Jill of America and the Pittsburgh Chapter of The Links Incorporated. She is the mother of two young sons, Xavier and Vaughan.

LaShawn Burton-Faulk

Member of the Student Success, Retention and Completion Committee

Term Expires: 12.31.2027

Ms. Burton-Faulk 's career spans the public, private and non-profit sectors. She currently is Executive Director of Manchester Citizens Corporation (MCC), one of Pittsburgh 's most accomplished community development corporations. Ms. Burton-Faulk is a graduate of Slippery Rock University, and she currently serves on several civic and non-profit boards including Pittsburgh 's Zoning Board of Adjustment, Planning Commission, as well as serving on the boards of the Carnegie Science Center, Riverlife and the Moonshot Museum.

As the Executive Director of MCC, Ms. Burton- Faulk oversees the organization 's $20 million development strategy. Under Burton-Faulk 's leadership, the Manchester-Chateau Neighborhood Plan was adopted by the City of Pittsburgh in the Fall of 2019. She has led new construction and renovation projects, drawing new residents to Manchester and winning acclaim in the community. She oversees the relationship between the community and the Rivers Casino. She is working on development planning with the Millcraft Companies in the Chateau section of the neighborhood. In addition, Ms. Burton-Faulk 's work over the last eight years has included, Project 1965, which has a strategic plan to transform Rt. 65, which decimated Manchester, a majority-minority community. The anticipated outcome is an at-grade urban boulevard that will reconnect the local street grid, provide rapid transit, and safe pedestrian and bicycling facilities. Ms. Burton-Faulk is driven to move a comprehensive reinvestment strategy along this new corridor. Project 1965 enables a community-first mobility agenda, infrastructure & environmental justice, sustainable, equitable, and resilient transportation choices along with redevelopment, green space, healthy communities, and riverfront connections. A strong focus on wealth generation, housing stabilization, and neighborhood reunification will occur. Under Ms. Burton-Faulk 's leadership, MCC has grown its operating budget and asset base significantly.

Ms. Burton-Faulk previously served as Assistant Vice President and Manager at First National Bank, where she opened their first downtown branch location growing deposits over sixteen months to $30 million. She then transitioned to Fifth Third Bank, successfully overseeing the opening and growth of two City of Pittsburgh branches. As the next step in her career, she took the Vice President position at P.W. Campbell Construction and oversaw the company 's business lines in residential community development and sales growth.

Ms. Burton-Faulk has served as a Director of Youth Places (YP), former President of Neighborhood Centers Association (NCA), former President of Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group (PCRG), and former President of the Northside Leadership Conference. Ms. Burton-Faulk 's unique blend of design- build, construction, business development and banking experience position her well to contribute to the growth and greater development in the City of Pittsburgh.

Jessica Wheeler

Student Trustee

2022-23 Academic Year

Jessica Wheeler is an honors student beginning her fourth semester at the Community College of Allegheny County. After serving as CCAC Student Government Association President and earning an Associate of Science in General Studies from CCAC in May 2023, Mrs. Wheeler will earn a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with a concentration in English.

Jessica proudly represented Pittsburgh as Teen Miss Pittsburgh 1996. She was honored to receive a CCAC Student Life and Engagement Diversity and Inclusion Award and an Officer of the Year Award in May 2022 for advocacy of peers and students. Mrs. Wheeler lives in Monongahela with her husband, Mike, and two children.